Is Neighborhood With a Steel Factory Associated With Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors?

Abstract

Background and aims: Staying adjacent to steel plants may raise the chance of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors for their inhabitants. The present study aimed to compare some CVD risk factors in the residents of a city adjacent to the steel plant as the exposed city in comparison with the residents of a control city in the Isfahan province. Methods: In a cross-sectional study in 2021, the data related to the prevalence rate of hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), Hyperlipidemia, overweight, and obesity were collected in the over 30 years old inhabitants who were living in Chamgordan as the exposed city and Ferydounshahr as the control city and underwent cardiovascular risk assessment. The data were gathered from the Iranian electronic health file system by the census sampling method. Results: Among the more than 30 years old population who stayed in the exposed and the control cities, the prevalence rates of CVD risk factors were as HTN (20.53% and 16.54%), DM (10.32% and 7.13%), and overweight and obesity (32.55% and 27.07%), respectively. There were no significant statistical differences between the exposed and control cities regarding HTN (P=0.471), DM (P=0.447), and overweight and obesity (P=0.355). However, hyperlipidemia was significantly more prevalent in the exposed city by 11.53% in comparison with 0.45% in the control city (P=0.001). Conclusion: Except for hyperlipidemia, there was no significant statistical difference in the prevalence rates of HTN, DM, overweight, and obesity between the exposed and the control cities.

Keywords

• hypertension
• diabetes mellitus
• hyperlipidemia
• overweight
• air pollution
• steel industry